Cost of Diabetes: The financial toll

Karlye Pesci (left), a clinical pharmacist at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, counsels patient Ernest Garcia before he is discharged from the hospital. Garcia was in the hospital for swelling of his foot. Hospitalizations from diabetes cost $31 million in 2010 in Nueces County alone.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Jim Becka, sales and service manger at Medical Rehab Supply, talks about the health care needs for people with diabetes. The average diabetic in the U.S. spends $4,200 a year managing the disease.

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Amy Hernandez, a pharmacist at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, restocks a prescription-dispensing machine with medications. Drugs typically are one of the largest costs for patients with diabetes.$RETURN$$RETURN$

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Jim Becka, sales and service manger at Medical Rehab Supply, shows off healthy living folder that the store gives out of free.

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Blood glucose monitoring kits are among the needs for patients with diabetes.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Christina Sepulveda, a pharmacy technician at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, collects a prescription from a dispensing machine. Prescriptions such as metformin and insulin are among the largest cost for people with diabetes.$RETURN$$RETURN$

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Gwen Jennings, an administrator at Medical Rehab Supply, said about 30 to 40 percent of the store’s business is connected to diabetes.

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Lancing devices help diabetics prick their fingers to test their blood sugar levels. They typically cost under $10.

Medical Rehab Supply in the Six Points area has several sections dedicated to diabetic supplies for the needs of Corpus Christi residents.

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Deborah Bynum, a physical therapist assistant certified in wound care, tends to a diabetic patient who got an infection in her abdomen after a surgery. People with diabetes have a more difficult time fighting infections. Complications from diabetes can lead to hospitalizations, which cost $31 million in 2010 in Nueces County alone.

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Jim Becka, sales and service manger at Medical Rehab Supply, shows the basic needs for patients with diabetes.

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Lancets, which are used to test blood sugar levels, can cost $8 to $20 per 100.

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Diabetics must test their blood glucose levels daily. The cost for glucose monitors can range from several dollars to more than $100.

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Special shoes for diabetics usually cost more than $100 and help people with diabetes improve mobility and avoid foot injuries.

Some diabetics must inject themselves with insulin to help control their blood sugar levels. Insulin and other prescriptions typically are some of the largest costs for people with diabetes.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Karlye Pesci, a clinical pharmacist at Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, counsels patient Ernest Garcia on how to use an insulin pen before he is discharged from the hospital in February. Garcia was in the hospital for swelling of his foot. Complications from diabetes can lead to hospitalizations, which cost $31 million in 2010 in Nueces County alone.